The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has rejected the ruling of a Federal High Court in Abuja ordering its deregistration, describing it as an attempt to use the judiciary to undermine opposition parties.
The party described the ruling as a threat to democratic governance and vowed to challenge it through legal channels.
In a statement on Monday, ADC’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, criticised the judgement delivered on Monday by Justice Peter Lifu in a suit seeking the deregistration of the party and four others.
The court ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the political parties over their failure to achieve the required electoral performance in the 2023 general election and subsequent by-elections conducted by the commission.
The other political parties are the Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), Accord Party (AP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
The statement read: ‘We are deeply alarmed by the judgement reportedly delivered by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, in a case filed by the so-called National Forum of Former Legislators seeking the de-registration of the ADC and four other political parties.
‘This judgement stands in direct conflict with constitutional principles and all known judicial processes and procedures’.
Abdullahi said that INEC had informed the court that there was no constitutional basis for the deregistration of ADC.
He added that the electoral commission maintained that the ADC had not violated any registration requirements or failed any electoral performance threshold recognised by law.
He also alleged that the judge proceeded with the matter despite a subsisting order of the court of appeal directing a stay of proceedings.
‘The ADC finds it troubling that the trial judge was aware of a subsisting order of the Court of Appeal issued on May 22, 2026, directing a stay of proceedings on the matter.
‘The judge, however, chose to flagrantly and contemptuously disregard a clear order of a superior court’, he said.
He further alleged that individuals linked to the ruling party were behind the case and described the development as part of a broader effort to weaken the opposition ahead of the 2027 elections.
Abdullahi said: ‘The attempt to eliminate the country’s major opposition party through judicial manoeuvring, thereby sabotaging the political aspirations of hundreds of its candidates, is a direct invitation to anarchy.
‘This is why we consider this ruling reckless, provocative, and even incendiary’.
The ADC spokesperson said the party would challenge the judgement through all available legal means and mobilise democratic stakeholders to defend the rights of its members and candidates.
‘We reject any and all attempts to intimidate, suppress, deregister, or politically extinguish our party and other opposition parties through means that offend both the spirit and the letter of the Constitution.
‘Meanwhile, the ADC will petition the National Judicial Council (NJC) over the judicial rascality demonstrated by the presiding judge of the Federal High Court, whose conduct has continued to bring the institution of the judiciary into disrepute’, Abdullahi said.
He urged party members and supporters to remain calm, insisting that ADC would remain on the ballot for the 2027 elections.
He added: ‘Whatever it takes, the ADC will be on the ballot so long as the 2027 election is to hold’.
